– is this a “gift from the Nile”? Yes, it is a fact that without the Nile River, Egypt would not have been suitable for human habitation. The Nile flooded and still floods the land of Egypt, leaving black silt on the surrounding lands, which the Egyptians called "Ar", meaning "black". The name "Nile" comes from the Semitic word "Nahal", and the river later received the name "Neilos", referring to the river valley. The Egyptians rightly called the Nile the “River of Life”, as it breathed life not only into the land of Egypt, but also into its culture and civilization. The Egyptian Civilization developed along the banks of the Nile because the river provided the Egyptians with extremely fertile soil for growing crops in desert conditions. This happened again and again, with the result that the Nile became the real source of life in Egypt. It is known that most civilizations flourish by settling along the banks of rivers, because rivers, first of all, provide for people drinking water, which is no less necessary for human existence than oxygen.
The Nile rises in Burundi, south of the Equator, and then flows through Northeast Africa, crosses Egypt and flows into the Mediterranean Sea.
The Nile is one of the longest rivers in the world; in fact, it was once the longest, but according to latest research, now it is longer than the Amazon River. The length of the Nile River is approximately 6695 km and the river has two tributaries.
Only 22% of the river flows through Egypt, the rest is in other countries - Sudan, Burundi, Ethiopia, Zaire, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.
The Nile flows through to the following cities: Cairo, Khartoum, Gondokoro, Aswan, Karnak, Thebes and Alexandria.
The Nile River has two tributaries, namely the Blue Nile and White Nile; The volume of Nile water is mainly determined by the waters of the Blue Nile, which contributes more than 50% of the water to the Nile River, but both tributaries contribute equally to soil fertility. The White Nile is called this because the presence of silt makes it appear white. The White Nile originates in Lake Victoria and flows to Sudan, where it joins the Blue Nile, which flows from Lake Tana in Ethiopia. After the confluence of the White and Blue Nile, a river called the Nile heads north.
The source of the Nile River is a matter of debate. Traditionally, its source is considered to be Lake Victoria - the most big lake in Africa, however, it is noted that on the northern side of the lake there is Ripon Falls, which has a small bay, and, apparently, this is where the Nile River originates. But this statement cannot be considered unconditionally true, since many rivers flow into Lake Victoria and it is impossible to determine which of them (and, perhaps, all at once) is the source of the Nile. Currently, the source of the Nile is considered to be the Kagera River and its tributary Ruvubu, the source of which is in Burundi.
Neil also played important role in the construction of the famous Egyptian pyramids, since stone blocks that were used for construction were transported along the waters of this river.
The English romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, in one of his poems dedicated to the Nile, mentions “explosions of evil” associated with this river. Shelley was probably referring to the risk of floods that initially threatened the Egyptians, and in our time, after the construction of the Aswan Dam, has increased even more. In addition, the waters of the Nile are home to many deadly crocodiles, the females of which lay at least 60 eggs each time. But despite all this, the Nile is still a generous gift from nature.
Not long ago, the Nile was considered the longest river in the world until the previously unexplored tributaries of the Amazon were explored. But despite the fact that today the Nile is considered the second largest river in the world, its significance and length have not changed at all
Even in ancient times, the Nile was considered a sacred river, since only thanks to fluctuations in the water level in this great river, the Egyptians and other peoples of this area could survive from year to year in the difficult conditions of constant heat and the lack of fertile lands anywhere other than the Nile bed, growing on its banks grain crops. The Nile tops the list of the longest rivers in the world, more information about which you will find in a separate collection
Today, the exact total length of the Nile and all its tributaries has been established - 6852 kilometers. drainage basin river covers an area of 3,349,000 km 2
The river originates on the East African plateau, from where, flowing through half of the African continent, it flows into the Mediterranean Sea
The Nile flows from south to north, which in itself is quite unusual. Conventionally, it is usually divided into 5 parts:
Victoria Nile - approximately 420 km stretch from its source at the northern end of Lake Victoria to its confluence with Lake Albert
Albert Nile - part of the river between Lake Albert and the mouth of the right tributary Achva
Bahr el Jabal or "River of Ghor" is a 900-kilometer wetland stretch of river starting below the city of Juba and ending in the area of the Bahr el Ghazal and Sobat tributaries
The White Nile is a section of the river stretching across a vast semi-desert plain from the Sobat tributary, whose muddy mountain waters give the river a yellowish-white color, to the city of Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, standing at the confluence of the White and Blue Nile
The Blue Nile originates from Lake Tana on the Abyssinian Highlands and is further referred to simply as the Nile, until it flows into the Mediterranean Sea
Here, on the Abyssinian Highlands, the last one originates major influx Nile - Atbara, below the mouth of which begins a series of six large rapids, which at one time caused considerable problems for navigation. Today there is an artificial reservoir - Lake Nasser
Ancient temple of Abu Simbel on the banks of the Nile
A little north of Cairo, the Nile Delta begins with countless branches, its area almost equal to the Crimean Peninsula. By the way, it was precisely this triangular shape of the branching of the river waters before flowing into the Mediterranean Sea that gave the name to the term “river delta” itself, because the Greek letter "delta" is written as a triangle?. Since then, all river deltas on our planet have been called this way.
The unity of the African Nile along its entire length gives the river a unique role as a bridge across different climatic zones.
Nile length
Resembling a writhing snake, it spread its loops, according to the latest data, over 6,695 kilometers. The tail “grows” just south of the equator, and the wide head-delta is lowered into the Mediterranean Sea at thirty degrees northern latitude. From this distance, the path of the Nile itself exceeds 3,500 kilometers. Thus, the Nile has now won the competition for the right to top the list of world rivers from the Mississippi and the Amazon, although comparisons, especially with the latter, are relative.
Source of the Nile
The hilly terrain east of Lake Tanganyika is noticeably drier than the surrounding plains; The red rocks are covered with bushes and woodlands. A stone's throw from the village of Kikizi in Burundi, several streams form the Luvironza River. It presents a rather pitiful sight, but is considered the most distant full-fledged source from the delta, from which the Nile irrigates a basin of approximately 2,868,000 square kilometers. Luvironza is one of the upper tributaries of the Tanzanian Kagera, which, in turn, descends to the wet tropical forest- first along the border of Tanzania and Rwanda, and then, turning sharply to the east, separates Tanzania and Uganda.
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At the end of the journey, it flows violently, like a water slide in a water park, into the world's largest Lake Victoria. And the full-fledged Nile emerges from Victoria and from here it steadily moves north, through Uganda and Sudan - to Egypt. So, breaking out of Victoria near the city of Jinja, the main industrial center of Uganda, and passing the equator, it falls into a narrow gorge, where it writhes with rapids.
Sandwiched between the rocks, Big Hapi gains its highest speed and does not lose it until the lake of Victoria's wife, Prince Albert. Having passed the border between Uganda and Sudan, the Nile of Africa receives the name Bahr el-Jebel, and then, merging with the Bahr el-Ghazal River and many smaller tributaries, it becomes the White Nile (Bahr el-Abyad). Meanwhile, the open woodlands give way to endless expanses of savannah, where only rare acacia trees break the even horizon line. The climax occurs in Khartoum, where the White Nile joins the Blue Nile (Bahr el-Azraq), which flowed here from Ethiopia, from Lake Tana. Now there are 330 kilometers left until the last tributary, the Atbara, - it is she, also flowing from the Ethiopian mountains, that is considered the main carrier of the famous black silt, from which an entire civilization grew. Now Neil again changes his temper to a stormy one and writes out a huge S-shaped loop.
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Here he passes his famous rapids, the first - north of Khartoum, the last (sixth) - near Aswan, where the ascetic mountain ranges suddenly part and a “full-fledged” Valley opens to the eye - a flat hollow, bordered by pink hills at sunset. Surrounded by the Libyan and Arabian deserts, it stretches from here for 840 kilometers - to the delta, the second in area in the world after the Brahmaputrogang. Photos taken from space look like this: a thin green braid, having made several sweeping loops, dissolves into the fawn color of the desert. The population density map will show a thin red stripe crowded on a fertile valley among the sands - snow-white, that is, deserted. From a zoogeographical point of view, the Nile falls into two unequal regions, the boundary between which is crossed by its flow south of the Tropic of Cancer, but north of Khartoum.
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To the south is the Ethiopian region, which includes most of Africa, to the north is the Palearctic region, which includes a very large part of Eurasia. A permanent microclimate bridge connecting the spaces from Lake Victoria to Mediterranean coast. The living conditions there are approximately the same, but they are strikingly different from everything around.
Fauna of the Nile
Along the entire course of the Nile you can find tropical animals and plants that are in no way characteristic of the Palaearctic. Along the entire course of this river, as in the rivers of tropical Africa, there are unique fish family of elephant snouts. The well-known Nile crocodiles and hippos - classic inhabitants of the tropics - before construction Aswan Dam could swim into the delta. In addition, the Nile is the most important axis of movement for migratory birds. Its meridionally oriented bed serves as an excellent reference point for those who, without a compass, want to move strictly south or north: for waders and pelicans, storks and swallows, using the Nile as the Road of Life.
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An amphibian sits on the edge of a narrow ditch - the smallest capillary of a gigantic and intricate irrigation network that stripes the Valley three to five kilometers from the shore. To get closer to him, you need to move quietly and - most importantly - without casting a shadow on him. This small long-legged and pointed-faced frog, olive with black strokes, is most easily found on some hummock of papyrus.
IN highest degree an exotic creature, and important for the biogeography of the Nile of Africa - Ptychadena mascareniensis, the Nile comb frog. Egypt is the extreme north of its vast range, which includes almost all tropical Africa and Madagascar.
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; The source is taken to be the Kager, or Alexander Nile, a tributary of Lake Victoria Nyanza, from which the Quivir, or Somerset Nile, flows to the North. The latter forms the Ripon waterfalls, passes through the lakes: Gita-Ntsige and Kodzha, at Mruli (here the depth is 3 - 5 m, the width is from 900 - 1,000 meters) turns to the North to Fovera, from here to the West, forms the Karin and Murchison waterfalls (36 meters high) and 12 rapids, rolls down to the second terrace, flowing into Lake Albert at Magungo. From the south, the Isango River, or Zemlyki, flows from Albert Edward Lake, the 3rd source of the Nile, flows into Nyanza. From Lake Albert (2.5° north latitude) the Nile emerges under the name Bar el-Jebel to the North (400 - 1,500 meters wide), navigable only to Dufile, then cuts through the 2nd terrace, forms 9 rapids, and descends at Lado 200 meters to the east and loses the character of a mountain river. Of the tributaries along this route, the Nile receives the river. Assua and many mountain rivers; forming many channels and branches, constantly meandering, the Nile slowly flows north to 9°21`, receives Bar-al-Ghazal from the West and turns to the East. During the rains, the Nile turns the valley north of Gaba-Shambe into a lake 100 kilometers wide, after which the grass grows so thick that it often forces the Nile to change direction. The entire plain between the Nile and its Seraph branch forms the Upper Nile region. Having traveled 150 kilometers to the East and united with Seraph, the Nile accepts the Sobat River, it comes towards him and forces him to turn to the northwest; here the Nile takes the name Bar el-Abiad, that is, the Nile (the Transparent Nile itself), flows at a distance of 845 kilometers in a northerly direction and connects at Khartoum (15 ° 31 north latitude) with Bar el-Azrek, or the Blue Nile (Muddy Nile). The latter begins in Abyssinia (10°55`) at an altitude of 2,800 meters under the name Abai, flows into Lake Tana, exits (200 meters wide, 3 meters deep) from the southern side of the lake, goes around mountainous country Gojam and at 10° north latitude turns to the northwest - along this length it takes on Gemma and Didessa on the left, Dinder (560 kilometers in length) and Raat on the right.
The Blue Nile supplies Egypt with fertile silt and produces annual . The waters of Azrek and Abiad, connected in one channel under common name The Nile flows through the low plateau (330 meters) of Libya. The Nile is navigable up to 17° north latitude, here it receives the last tributary of the Atbaru (1,230 kilometers long), navigation stops at 1,800 km, and the rapids begin all the way to Aswan: the fifth rapid consists of 3 rapids between Shendi and Elkab, the 4th rapid out of seven ( 75 km long) between the island of Mograt and Mount Barkal, the 3rd between the island of Argo and Gerindid, the 2nd, the largest of the 9, between the island of Dal and Vadigalfa, the 1st between the island of Philae and Assouan. The fall of the river along this length is 250 meters, at Aswan the Nile flows at an altitude of 101 meters above sea level, so that for the remaining 1,185 kilometers to the mouth there is a 101 meter fall. The width of the Nile on this route often changes: at Shandi it is 165 meters, above the mouth of Atbara it is 320 meters, below the fifth cataract it is 460 meters, north of Wadigalfa the Nile becomes wider, and between Esne and its width is from 500 to 2,200 meters. The width of the valley between Abu Hammed and Edfu is from 500 - 1,000 meters. North of Edfu, the Nile widens to 3 kilometers, and to Cairo its width ranges from 4 to 28 kilometers. In Damer, the Nile changes its direction, goes around Bayudskaya on 3 sides, in the shape of the letter “S”, and cuts through the mountains of the Nubian steppe; The curves of the Nile above Corosco are explained by the special arrangement of sandstone layers. From 27° north latitude, the Yusuf (Joseph) Canal flows next to the Nile, a remnant of ancient Egyptian water works, with numerous side canals, and flows in the North into Lake Fayum, which has great importance for proper distribution of water into the Nile. To the northwest of Cairo (10 m above sea level) the delta begins, reaching 270 kilometers in width near the sea. The Nile below Shubra was divided into 7 branches according to the ancients (Peluzsky, Talitsky, Mendezsky, Bukolsky, or Fatnichesky, Sebenitsky, Bolbitinsky and Kanopsky), and now only into Rosetta and Damiutsky. East The Kanopian and western Pelusian branches were the most important in ancient times. The most important of the canals, Mamudiysky, connecting Alexandria with the Rosetta branch, 77 kilometers long, 30 meters wide, built by Megmet Ali; the short Menufsky (Bar el-Farunya) connects the Damietsky and Rosetta branches from the south. Tanitsky was turned into the Mulsky canal, Pelussky into Abu el-Menegsky. The surface of the delta is 22,194 square kilometers, the length of all channels is 13,440 kilometers. The length of the entire Nile, counting the Alexander Nile as the beginning, is 5,940 kilometers. The distance from the headwaters to the mouth in a straight line is 4,120 kilometers.
The lower reaches of the Nile had an advantage due to the proximity of the sea, but here the river has no tributaries at all, while the middle Nile is rich in them.
Neil's way of eating: mostly rainy. Most The river receives water from its numerous tributaries.
Inhabitants of the Nile: The most common inhabitants of the waters of the Nile and its banks are Nile and Natal frogs, turtles, crocodiles and Nile perch.
Freezing: doesn't freeze.
The Nile is not only the main body of water African continent, but also one of the longest rivers in the whole world. Receiving the reserves of its tributaries, it is a life-giving force for the population located along its course. This is a priceless treasure of the “dark continent”, over whose waters wars were fought and states united, dams were built and dry lands were revived.
Historical reference
The most important water artery the hottest continent on the planet with ancient times was revered by its population as a source of life, well-being and prosperity. Thanks to the Nile, today we have the opportunity to get acquainted with Ancient Egypt, its architecture, art, science, wisdom, astronomical knowledge and religion. We can only assume what an important role the Nile played in the formation of the largest civilization that had a huge impact on the life of mankind. As is known, about 20% of the river’s length is located in the territory modern state Egypt. The state of agriculture, the quality of the harvest and its quantity depend on the behavior of the Nile. Thus, the unflooded waters of the Nile mean death for the population. In most cases, the river is always associated with Egypt, where sacred waters are guarded by the pyramidal tombs of the rulers of the state, the monumental sculpture of the Sphinx, the giant statue of Ramses, and temples dedicated to outstanding pharaohs.
Geographical position
The Nile River is located in Africa and originates from the East African Plateau at an altitude of 1134 m. Not always calm in its flow, but flat, the river passes through the territory of 7 countries, simultaneously uniting them with its waters. Among them is equatorial and multilingual Uganda, a country wildlife Kenya, unique Tanzania, the birthplace of humanity Ethiopia, the center of tropical epidemics, the desert Republic of Sudan and contrasting Egypt. The great river has been feeding the territory of these states for about 3 million years, saving the population from hunger and drought. Such historical centers of Egypt as Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Giza and Alexandria, and the capital of Sudan, Khartoum, grew up on it.
Climatic conditions
With a length of 6852 km, the Nile crosses the following equatorial, subequatorial, tropical and subtropical. Most of its route, which is more than 3000 km, passes through the territory of the largest desert in the world - the Sahara.
The river's feeding regime directly depends on climatic conditions. The Nile has annual floods in summer and winter. The reason is due to the rainy season in equatorial latitudes, where one of its tributaries originates. Thanks to this type of precipitation, the great river is full-flowing and fast-flowing. At this time of year, the Nile can overflow its banks, flooding settlements and creating floods.
In winter it is replenished with the waters of the White Nile, and in summer - with the Blue Nile. Low water (most low level water) falls in the month of May. The temperature indicators of the water of a hydrological object vary depending on the type of climate. Average summer period is plus 26 o C, winter - plus 18 o C.
Source of the Nile
Many researchers disagreed with each other about where the source of the Nile was located. Inaccessible jungle, hilly terrain with ledges and rapids, mosquitoes and crocodiles became an obstacle to a thorough study of the hydrological object. The mystery became clear only in the middle of the 18th century, thanks to the efforts of the London Geographical Society and the determination of its employees - the officer, traveler John Speke and river explorer Samuel Baker.
The official opening began great river the year is considered to be 1864. The peculiarity of the Nile is that it has not one source, like most rivers on the planet, but two. Main tributary with geographic coordinates (0°N, 33°E) originates in the equatorial latitudes of Uganda, carrying its waters into Lake Victoria, and emerges as the stormy Kagera River. Overcoming ledges and, at the same time, replenishing supplies fresh water into the lakes of the mainland, the right tributary emerges as the White Nile on flat surface African continent.
The birthplace of the second source is considered to be the area where the Blue Nile emerges. The confluence of two deep tributaries occurs near the capital of Sudan - the city of Khartoum. Following in a northern direction, the full-flowing river carries vitality through desert territory into the Mediterranean Sea, forming a huge delta on its way.
Mouth of the sacred river
The place where the Nile River flows has geographical coordinates(31 o N, 30 o E). The shape of the mouth of the reservoir is no less unique than the history of the search for the source of the river. Thanks to river sediments, it forms a huge triangle, resembling Greek letter"delta". 160 km from the capital of Egypt, Cairo, two large navigable branches are formed - Damietta and Rashid, as well as many small channels.
It is the Nile Delta that is considered the most fertile section of the famous river. The unique nature education along southern shores Mediterranean Sea. This is the most populated part of Egypt and the entire Nile bed. The scale of river sediment is simply stunning; its size is equal to the area of the entire Crimean peninsula.
Flora and fauna
Vegetable and animal world the area where the Nile is located changes in its species composition, in the direction of the river flow. The richest areas of the zone are savannas and light forests, less expressive areas are deserts and semi-deserts.
The water world is saturated with such representatives as Nile crocodile, multifeathers, hippos and various fresh fish. About 300 species of birds nest on the banks of the river, many migratory and wintering representatives. But flamingos, pelicans, and herons especially stand out.
The most interesting flora and fauna of the Nile Delta and Valley is papyrus, date palms, acacias, oleander, citrus fruits, reed thickets, cattails and ferns, cultivated vegetation. Here you can find representatives of the fauna such as turtles, hippopotamuses, artiodactyls, reptiles and many insects. The leaders among the animal world are birds. The Nile River basin is simply a salvation for the established flora and fauna.
For any tourist, getting to the area where the Nile is located will not be a problem. The most exciting and at the same time dangerous is traveling along the river. The source of the Nile is interesting for its inaccessibility. The place where the Nile River flows captivates with rich colors and amazing objects.
The distance between Moscow and the capital of Egypt on the map is more than 4000 km. For air transport in a straight line - about 3000 km and 4 hours of travel. Flights are organized by 8 airlines, where there are direct flights and with transfers in Istanbul. But where the Nile is most interesting is up to the tourist to decide. Not everyone likes the humid and hot jungle, some love warm sand, heat and pyramids.
Features of the great river
The main difference between the Nile and most rivers on the planet is the direction of the flow - from south to north. The nature of the river depends on the terrain. In the upper section it looks like mountain river- seething and noisy. The hilly terrain and heavy rainfall help the river to develop its main channel with its flow. Downstream sacred river calm, quiet and navigable. Here, according to all the characteristics, we see that the object is the flat Nile River. Continent Africa, its homeland, is hot and deserted at its confluence, and humid at its source.
The section of the river with rapids and waterfalls is called the Victoria Nile, the calm Albert Nile stretches until the tributaries reunite into one channel, the most swampy section is in the Bahr el-Jebel. Forming six rapids, the river created many problems with navigation for centuries, so the construction of a reservoir was simply a necessity. It solved the issue of transport movements and at the same time became a salvation for arid regions.
Unlike the Amazon, the Nile flows through the desert regions of the “dark continent”, but does not lose its full flow. It brings a lot of silt deposits, which are organic fertilizer, thereby doubling its advantage.
Tourist opportunities
The Nile is not just a hydrological feature of the planet. This is a ready-made natural route stretching from the equator to the tropical borders. Its tourism opportunities are endless. For those who like to see more and faster, cruise trips along the river with stops in famous historical cities have been created:
- Cairo attracts with museums and ancient Egyptian art, pyramids and statues;
- Alexandria captivates with legends, forts and beaches;
- Thebes - temples and honorable age;
- Aswan - palm islands and the standard of living of Egypt;
- Sudanese Khartoum - ensembles of palace architecture.
Lovers to explore natural resources along the river, they may spend more time, but as a result they will get a brighter impression.
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